Katie Kirkpatrick currently serves as the president and CEO of the 160-year-old Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC). Previously MAC's chief policy officer, Kirkpatrick served as the link between the metro Atlanta business community and local and national government. Kirkpatrick joined the Chamber in 2007 as vice president of environmental affairs, and later served as the Chamber's senior vice president for business higher education. Before joining MAC, she served as director of environmental engineering for Gold Kist, Inc., Kirkpatrick currently serves on the GRACE Commission, comprised of public officials, law enforcement, businesses and nonprofit organizations, committed to ending human trafficking in the State of Georgia and the City of Atlanta. She is a vice-chair for the Metropolitan North Georgia Water Planning District and a past board chair for the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership. As a graduate from Auburn University, Kirkpatrick is a registered professional engineer in several states and a member of the school's 100+ Women Strong group of successful female engineering alumnae. Kirkpatrick is an alumna of Leadership Atlanta, a program designed to propel established leaders to further serve their communities. She is a volunteer with youth sports leagues in metro Atlanta and the Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. Kirkpatrick lives in Atlanta with her husband, Dow, and their two sons, who currently attend The Lovett School, where she regularly serves on the parent volunteer association.